Philippians 2

Thinking Like Christ

1 Are you cheerful because you belong to Christ? Does his love comfort you? Is the Holy Spirit your companion? Has Christ been gentle and loving toward you?2 Then make my joy complete by agreeing with each other. Have the same love. Be one in spirit and purpose.
3 Don't do anything only to get ahead. Don't do it because you are proud. Instead, be free of pride. Think of others as better than yourselves.
4 None of you should look out just for your own good. You should also look out for the good of others.

5 You should think in the same way Christ Jesus does.
6 In his very nature he was God.
But he did not think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to.
7 Instead, he made himself nothing.
He took on the very nature of a servant.
He was made in human form.
8 He appeared as a man.
He came down to the lowest level.
He obeyed God completely, even though it led to his death.
In fact, he died on a cross.
9 So God lifted him up to the highest place.
He gave him the name that is above every name.
10 When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone's knee will bow to worship him.
Every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow to worship him.

11 Everyone's mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.
And God the Father will receive the glory.

Living Like Christ

12 My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling.13 God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to be in keeping with his good purpose.
14 Do everything without finding fault or arguing.15 Then you will be pure and without blame. You will be children of God without fault in a sinful and evil world. Among the people of the world you shine like stars in the heavens.16 You shine as you hold out to them the word of life. So I can brag about you on the day Christ returns. I can be happy that I didn't run or work for nothing.
17 But my life might even be poured out like a drink offering on your sacrifices. I'm talking about the way you serve because you believe. Even so, I am glad. I am joyful with all of you.18 So you too should be glad and joyful with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 I hope to send Timothy to you soon if the Lord Jesus allows it. Then I will be cheered up when I receive news about you.20 I have no one else like Timothy. He truly cares about how you are doing.
21 All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ.22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself. He has served with me like a son with his father in spreading the good news.
23 So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.24 And I'm sure I myself will come soon if the Lord allows it.
25 But I think it's necessary to send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in the Lord. He is a worker and a soldier of Christ together with me. He is also your messenger. You sent him to take care of my needs.26 He longs for all of you. He is troubled because you heard he was sick.
27 He was very sick. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him. He also had mercy on me. God spared me sadness after sadness.28 So I want even more to send him to you. Then when you see him again, you will be glad. And I won't worry so much.
29 Welcome him as a brother in the Lord with great joy. Honor people like him.30 He almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger to make up for the help you couldn't give me.

Philippians 2

1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions,2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;3 doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name;10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.12 So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.14 Do all things without murmurings and questionings:15 that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world,16 holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain.17 Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all:18 and in the same manner do ye also joy, and rejoice with me.19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.20 For I have no man likeminded, who will care truly for your state.21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the gospel.23 Him therefore I hope to send forthwith, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me:24 but I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly.25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need;26 since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick:27 for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor:30 because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.